Gear transmission



May 1, 1923. Y 1,453,413

Y C. W. SNODGRAVSS ETL v GEAR TRANSMISSION Filed Jan. 2o, 419,22 3l sheets-sheetl SH01: nu,

May l, 192.3. l 1,453,413

C. W, SNDGRASSET AL GEAR TRANSMI S S ION Filed Jan. 20, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 11 .4? d@ 4e l mail@ 3. y Y 751%??415 I CQ W. SNODGRASS ET ALv GEAR TRANSMISSION Filed Jan. 20, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May l, 1923.

narran Astares laissais j erica..

CHARLES W. SNODGRASS, F DENVER, COLORADO, AND WALTER R. WHITMOYER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNORS T0 ROBERT O. BOLLES, CHARLES W. SNODG-RASS, AND WALTER R. WHITMOYER, TRUSTEES OF S. &W. TRANSMISSION ASSOCIATION,

OF DENVER, COLORADO.

GEAR TRANSMISSION.

Application filed January 20, 1922. Serial No. 530,638.

[0' all whom. t may conce/m.'

VBe it known that we, CHARLns lV. SNoD- nnss and HALTER R. lVHiTMoYER, citizens ot' the United States, residing at Denver, in

the county of Denver, State of Colorado, and Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan, respectively, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gear Transmission, of which the following is a specilication.

This vinvention relates t'o certain new and` useful inlprovements in gear transmission and it has for its objects to secure closer regulation and to reduce powerl losses to a l5 minimum. As the loss of power in transmission is especially great at high speed, we :provide means for reducing such loss to a minimum when the mechanism is being operated at the high speed. While the construe 2o tion herein disclosed is primarily designed for use upon motor vehicles andparticularly automobiles, it is capable of use in other relations and, hence, it is to be understood that the invention is notvlimited in this respect.

, It has for a further object to insure greater efficiency and to provide a construction wherein all the small gears are the same size and all the large gears are vof the same size.

We employ six gears to give triple reduction, for low speed, and when these are in mesh we have in etl'ect lhigh leverages. By pulling the small gears against the big gears throughout the complete transmission, we obtain the efi'eetof high leverage.

The present transmission is a triple reduction or equalization of a high leverage gear device, pulling the short'way of the leverage; the term equalization is understood to mean that the small gears are all of one size, and all the large gears are of one size.

By using a triple'reduction in low speed, we obtain an even steady flow-0f power so that one can turn the rear wheels with a slow steady revolution, which; enables vone to getout of ruts'or bad places/saone is ablefto get traction so that the'wheelswi1l not digv themselves into the `grou11d,1"'1`he highreduction also prevents theV rearwheels from back gearing up against thlelmtpr and ing the Samanaltpernntstbamotggto ran with the proper revolutions so as 'to insure full combustion and power and, hence, it is,-

not necessary to race the motor so fast before letting in the plutohin order tofkeep from stalling them'otor.. No matter what the speed all the gears are constantly in mesh and` in motion, those otherwise inoperative serving as ly wheels, thus insurin continuous revolution.

. y this arrangement we are enabled to obtain a much lower reduction in low speed,

andjalso a low reduction in" intermediatef.

but substantially the same ratio in .high speed as in the usual forms of transmission. This enables us to start threetimes the load, then to go into intermediate, and then into high, traveling at the same rate of. speed as l heretofore. I

It is a well known factfthat motor vehicles can pull three times' as muchas they can start.

We use a high reductionfor low speed which eliminates stopping the revolution of the gears, whenconnected up to the driven shaft.

The shifting lis done through the lI'nedium of clutches which dovetail into `the small pinions, giving diEerent speeds. When shifting' from low to intermediate, the low gearV remains in mesh and revolves. \When shifting into high, the low and intermediate gears are in mesh and always revolve, vthus at all times keeping up momentum.

When -in low, we drive through a] part of the intermediate and high gears and the differential. when driving in interni/edita, we drive through a part of the high gear and the differential, and reverse isfthrough a part of the intermediate gears, a part of the high gears and differential, ythe gears being always in mesh andrevolving in allv speeds.

. /f `lVe' effect great saving in power, and vare 'able t'o start a by the engine.

Anotheizgreat advantage is the coinpaot-- partsand the ease of assemblage ness of thereof.

By our constructiongand'argngeirent of load asbig as canbe pulled parts, We are able to'r"`d elivei substantially ninety per cent of the engine power, as the resistance cannot .back earfagainst the ,metonl'indsieholreit dem owing to. the wirl rangement and leverage of our transmission. e l

ther objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear, and ythe novel features thereof will vbe specifically defined by the appended claims.

The invention is capable of embodiment in a variety of forms, one onlv of which we have chosen to herein illustrate.

The invention, in such preferred form. is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which, with the numerals of reference markedfthereon, form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is an end elevation-of our improved transmission. I

Figure 2 is a topiplan thereofwith the Icover plate removed and a. portion of the casing broken away.

Figure 3 is a top plan of another form of embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is an end elevation thereof.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5.5 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of the arrows. l

, Figure 6 is a section`on the line (3-6 of Figure 3, looking in the direction of thc arrows.

Figure 7 is an end view of one of the clutch members.

' Figure 8 is an edge view thereof.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates the motor shaft and 2 the drive shaft.

0n the motor shaft are four small gears or pinions 3, 4, 5 and 6. These are all loose upon their shaft and each has upon one face thereof clutch'members 7, as seen clearly in Figure 2.. These pinions are adapted to revolve at-'all times by reason of their meshiuglwith their companion gears, as will hereinafter appear, although they do not revolve with their'shaft except when caused to do so by shifting the clutches. These clutchesS are keyed to the motor shaft 'so as to revolve therewith, but are also mounted to slide on the said shaft, there being two of these clutches, one between'two pin,- ions, seen in Figure 2, so that the two clutches serve with the four pinions, cach clutch being movable to the right or loft, as occasion may require, the elucl` being double-faced. as secu in Figures 2 und 8, for this purpose. The clutches are adapted to be shifted in any well-known or approved way. 9 in Figure l indicate the clutch shi fting arms.

Fast ou the drive shaft is a large gear l0. Loosely mounted on the drive shaft, but mounted to revolve at all times, is the large gear 11, as seen in Figure 6. This gear 11 is carried by a sleeve 12 fast upon which, is a small gear or pinion 13, as seen in Figure 6. The gear 10 may be secured to its shaft in anywell-known way. n Figure 5^t is shown as provided with a rhub 11 having a plurality of key ways 15 for the reception of the keys 16.

1T is the intermediate gear loose at all times on its shaft if the shaft be fast, but it' theI shaft be mounted to turn this intermediate gear should be Afast to its shaft 18. 1S) a sleeve rigid with the intermediate gear l? and carrying at one end a small pinion or gear 2t) adapted to mesh with the high gear il) on the drive shaft,A as seen in Figure 1.

21 is a shaft mounted in suitable bearings 22 on the supports 23, seen` in Figure 2, and upon this shaft is au idler gear 2f-1 which is a double gear, that is of sufficient width to mesh with the intermediate gear 17 and the small pinion 5 on the motor shaft. (ear 17 is likewise a double gear.

25 is the casing for the parts, provided with a removable cover 2G secured in place in any suitable manner and, in this instance, shown as provided with an enlarge ment 2T to accommodate the idler 2t, as seen in Figure 1.

It is to be noted that all the small gears are all substantially the same size and that the large gears are also all of the same size. li'e use the broad or double gear, the intermediate gear, for both intermediate and reverse speeds.

Roller bearings are to be employed where necessary. They may beof any desired type.

iVith the parts arranged substantially as above described, the operation is as follows z-f Referring to Figure 2, the motor being started, all parts being in neutral position, as seen in Figure 2, the motor shaft 1 is revolved, the clutch 8 at the left hand side of this figure isshil'ted to the leftinto engagement with the clutch members 7 0n the gear 3, causing this gear or pinion to revolve with the shaft 1. rllhc gear 3 meshing with the gear 11, revolves the latter and this, in turn,. revolves the gear 13, which latter meshing with the intermediate gear 17, turnsthe gear 20 which meshes with the high gear 10, revolviiug` the same and` couseqiicntly.'the drive shaft 2. This gives lowpspeed. lThe clutch H :it the let't is thrown into neutral position, and then the clutch S at the. right of Figure 2 is now shiftcdto the left to engage the clutch members 7 of the small pinion or gear 5 which meshes with the idler gear 24, the latter driving the intermediate gear 17, which, in turn` revolves the gear 2() and this meshing with the high gear 10 gives intermediate speed to the drive shaft 2, To 0b tain high speed, the clutch 8 at the right hand of Figure 2 is now moved to the right to engage with the clutch members 7 of the gear or pinion 6 and thus turning the high gear 10 which imparts to the shaft 2 high speed. N

To reverse, the clutch 8 at the left being in neutral, the clutch 8 at the right in Figure 2l is moved to neutralI and then the clutch at the left of Figure 2' ris moved to the right to` engage the clutch members of the gear or pinion 4, turning the intermediate gear 17, and through this the gear Q0 and this meshing with the gear 10 turns the drive shaft 2 in the reverse direction.

The relative disposition of the parts may be'varied to suit varying conditions. For

instance, in Figure 3 We'have shown the parts as 'differently disposed relatively to each other, but in both forms tlieoperation is the same. The only change is in the relative disposition of the motor and drive shafts, the shape of the casing being correspondingly changed. The form shown in -Figure 3 is applicable for use on a fourtransmission, for performing the Work to.

which it may be assigned, and, While the structural embodiment of the invention .as herein disclosed is what We, at the present time, consider preferable, it is evident that the same is subject to changes,v variations and modifications in detail, proportions and relative disposition of parts Without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages. We, therefore, do not intend to restrict ourselves to the particular construction and relative proportion of parts hereinbefore describedand shown in the drawings, but reserveglthe right to make such changes, variations and modifications in detail, proportion of parts etc., as come ivithin the scope of the appended claims. 1

What is claimed as new is:-

1. A variable-speed transmission having rlrivving and driven shafts, comprising a pluralit of clutch-controlled pinions on the driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear hav.- ing a connected pinion on the driven shaft, said loose gear meshing with said clutchcontrolled pinion, and a counter shaft having an interconnected gear and pinion there. on m hin'g respectively with the pinion and the Xed gear on the driven shaft.

2. A lvariable speed transmission having driving and driven shafts, comprising a plurality of clutch-controlled pinions on the driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on the driven shaft, l s

'driving and driven shafts comprising a plusaid loose gear meshing with one lof said clutch-controlled pinions, and a counter f shaft,

shaft having an interconnected gear and pinion thereon meshing respectively with `the pinion and thel fixed gearon the 'driven shaft, said counter shaft gear also meshing with a second of Said clutch-controlled pin- -3. A variable speed transmission having driving and driven shafts, comprising a plurality of clutch-controlled pinions on the driving shaft, al fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on the driven shaft, said loose gear meshing lwith one of said clutch-controlled pinions,l a counter shaft having an interconnected gear and pinion thereon meshing respectively wth the pinion 4and the xed gear on the driven shaft, said counter shaft gear also meshing With a second of said clutch-controlled pinions, and an idler gear meshing withv a third of said clutch-controlled pinionsand said counter shaft gear.

4. A variable speed transmission having driving and driven shafts, comprising a plurali'ty of clutch-controlled pinions on the driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on Ithe driven said loose gear meshing with one of said clutch-controlled pinions, a counter shaft having an interconnected gear and pinion thereon meshing respectively with the pinion and the fixed gear on the driven shaft, said counter shaft gear also meshing with a secon-d of said clutch-controlled pinions, and an idler gearmeshing with a third of said clutch-controlled pinions and said counter shaft gear, said pinions and gears being respectively of the same sizen 5. A variable .speed transmission having driving and driven shafts comprising a. plurality of clutch-controlled pinions 0n.the driving shaft, a 'fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on the driven shaft, said fixed and loose gears meshing respectively With a pair of said clutch-controlled pinions, and a counter shafthaving an interconnected gear and pinion thereon meshing respectively with the pinion and the fixed gear on the drivenshaft.

6. A variable speed transmission having driving and driven shafts comprising aplurality of clutch-controlled pinions on thc'l driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on the driven shaft,

said fixed and loose gears meshing res ectively With a pair of said clutch-contro led pin/ions, and a counter shaft/having an interconnected gear and pinionthereonmeshing respectively with the pinion and the fixed gear on the driven shaft, said counter shaft gear also meshing with a third of said clutch;

controlled pinions.

7. A variable speed transmission having driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear having a connected pinion on the driven shaft, said fixed and loose gears meshing respectively with. a .pai r1. ofv said clutch-controlled pinions, a counter sha-ft having an interconnected gear and pinion thereon meshing re.- speetvely with the pinion andthe fixed gear on the driven shaft, said Counter shaftgear also meshing with a third of said clutch controlled pinions, and an idler gear meshing with a fourth of said clutch-controlled pinions and said counter shaft gear.

A variable'speed transmission having driving and driven shafts comprising a phirality of clutch-controlled pinions on the driving shaft, a fixed and a loose gear having' a connected pinion on the driven shaft, said fixed and loose gears meshing respectively with a. pair of said clutch-controlled pinions, a counter shaft having an inter-connected gear and pinion thereon meshing respectively with the pinion and the fixed gear on the driven sha-ft, said counter shaft gear also meshing with a third of said clutch controlled pinions, and an f idler gear meshing with a fourth of' said clutchcontrolled pinions and said connter shaft gear, said pinions and gears belng resimctivelv of the same size.

9. A variable Yspeed transmission having driving and driven shafts, comprising a php gear and one of said clutch-controlled pinions and operative for intermediate speed, said fixed and loose gea-rs meshing with two 0f said clutclLcontrolled pinions and said intermediate gear meshing with said first mentioned connected pinion.

l0. In a variable speed gear transmission. a driving shaft, a pair of clutch-controlled pinions thereon, an ultimately-driven shaft, a fixed gear thereon meshing with one of said pinions, an intermediate shaft having a connected gear and pinion, the latter of which meshes with said fixed gear, and an idler meshing With the second of said clutchcontrolled pinions and the gear on the intermediate shaft.

ln testimony 'whereof We affix our signav tures.

CHARLES W. SNODGRASS, WALTER R. WHITMQYER. 

